Two Distinct Essential Oil Bearing Races of Tanacetum nubigenum Wallich ex DC from Kumaon Himalaya

Abstract

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Tanacetum nubigenum Wallich ex DC collected from the Milam glacier moraine showed the presence of 73 compounds, of which 69, representing 87.9% of the total oil, have been identified, with bornyl acetate (39.7%), borneol (10.6%), ( E)-β-farnesene (6.6%) and 1,8-cineole (5.8%) as major constituents, while the oil from the plant material from the Pindari glacier area contained a total of 81 compounds, of which 77 have been identified. This oil was characterized by the presence of (3 R, 6 R)-linalool oxide acetate (69.4%), β-eudesmol (3.2%), selin-11-en-4α-ol (3.2%) and (3.2% and 1.2%, respectively) for compounds ( E) and ( Z)-2-(2,4-hexadiynylidene)-1,6-dioxospiro [4,4] non-3-ene, respectively. The major constituents of the essential oils from the aerial parts were separated and characterized by GC, GC/MS and 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. The chemical differences between the two essential oils place them as distinct chemical races or chemotypes.